Underwater construction



June 4, 1929.

s. M. SAVAGE UNDERWATER CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 16. 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet ZZZ/677W- jea arai Mfiauage ewy w- JuneA, 1929. v 5, SAVAGE 1,116,189

UNDERWATER CONSTRUCTION Filed'I-eb. 16. 1925 5 She'ets-Sheet z 520672???" [M flea/ 2125 M fiawge,

June 4; 1929. 1 s. M. SAVAGE 1,716,189

UliDERWATER consngucmon Filed Feb. 16. 1925 SSheets-Sheet 3' fieward/v fiauage Ju e 4, 1929.

S. M. SAVAGE UNDERWATER CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 16, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 June 4, 1929. s, s v E Q 1,716,189

UNDERWATER CONSTRUCTION- Filed Feb. 16. 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fatented June 4, 1929.

UNITED STATES ea TENT GFFECE.;

SEWARD M. SAVAGE, OF CHICAGO, i nrnors, AssIeNon r0 BRADLEY TRANSPORTA- '1ION ooMrANY, or; ROGERS or'rY, MICHIGAN, A

GINIA.

"UNDERWATER CONSTR CTION.

Application'filed February 16, 1925. serial" N6. 9305, v v

This invention relates to a' new and improved method and apparatus for underwater construction and more particularly, to a method and apparatus adapted for building and leveling breakwaters and the like under water.

Numerous types of breakwaters and other structures which rest. upon the bottom under water comprise as an element a lower p0rtion or foundation consisting of broken stone in various sizes. In many such constructions it is essential that the broken stone be uniformly placed and the upper surface leveled to receive superposed structures. This construction has heretofore generally been carried out by taking the material from barges or lighters by means of power shovels and depositing it wheredfesired. This results in a series of piles and requires considerable work by divers in levelingthe work. 4

I am aware that it has also been proposed to makesuch structures by unloading the stone from a boat by means of'a continuously operating conveyor extending out on a boom from the side of the boat and moving the boat along the line of the structure. In'spite of continuous sounding this method forms a somewhat-irregular longitudinally extending pile andeven'byclosely placing I such piles a considerable amount ofunderwater leveling is required.

'Itis an object of the present invention. to

provide an apparatus andmethod whereby loose material may be continuously deposited 1 under .water and leveled or otherwise 'de-f sirably shaped mechanically simultaneously with the deposit.

It is'a further object to provide apparatus which is relatively simple in design, construction and operation and adapted for efficiently. and rapidly carrying out my method. Other and further objects will appear as the description proceeds.

I have illustrated certain preferred embodiments of my invention in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective View showing the apparatus carried by a singlebarge; Figure 2 is somewhat similar to Figure 1 showing the apparatus carried between two barges; p

Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the apparatussupported on the bottom I Figure 4 is an enlarged side'view or; one

form of apparatus; Figure 5 is a'vie'wof Figure 4 as seen from the right;

CORPORATION OF WEST VIR- Figure 6 is. a viewsimilar to Figure 3 7 showing a further modification, and

of finishing templates or strike boards.

V F gures to 10 are views showing forms- Reterringfirstto Figure 1, the material carrying vessel has been indicated diagrammatically at '11 and is provided with the conveyor 12 adapted to continuously discharge the material. The vessel is moored beside the pile clusters 13, which are locatedin a line parallel to that of the breakwater to be constructed. The barge 14 is moored by lines 15 to anchors 'set up well ahead on the line of the breakwater. These lines 15 are handled by winches 16. A stern-holding line 17 connects to a stern anchor. and ishandled by winch '18. A rope 19 is secured to the vessel and toa cleat 20 carried byfthe barge. The barge carries, secured thereto, the materialreceiving hopper21 having the material depositing chute 22 exte'ndingdownwardly through the barge. The construction of this material handling hopper and chute will be described more in detail. in connection with Figures land 5.

Referring now to the form of construction shown in Figure 2,-thevessel 31 is provided with the continuous discharge boom 32. "The pair-0f barges 83 and 34 areconnected by crossbeams' 35, or otherwise, soas' to main tain them in 'spacedpa-rallel position. These barges maybe secured to the'vessel by cables 36 and 37. 'Thebarges are provided with the longitudinally extending rails 38 upon which rest the' wheels 39 which are a part ofthe dis-l tributing hopper assembly 40. The forward line 41 is securedto an anchor set up ahead on the line of the breakwater and carries the pulley 42. The drag line-43 is connected'toj the forward end of the distributing apparatus 40 andpasses through the pulleyl2 back to a winch onthe distributing mechanism.' The rear holding line-44 leads to an anchor set asternv and the pulley 45 carried y e line-4i haSthe cable 46 extendingf through it. One end ofthis cable is connected to the rear-of the distributor andthe other endgo es to. a winch carried by the distributor.

In the form of'construction shown in'Fig-e" ure 3, the vesselol isfprovided with thecon f1,

tinuous discharge boom 52 and is moored against the pile clusters 53 along the line of the breakwater; The distributing apparatus 5 1 rests on' the top of the pile of deposited material 55. This apparatus .5 1 is provided with the'caterpillar type of threads 56, which are driven by the, internal combustion engine 57 carried by the apparatus. The apparatus is preferably divided on the plane 81, slightly above the normal waterline so that during breaks in the period of operation the upper portion may be removed and not left subject to wave action. It will be understood that the drive belt'will be disconnected-at this time andthat the apparatus may carry ballast if'desirable to give it added stability.

One preferred form of hopper and distributor construction is shown in detail in Fig- 8 per discharges into the chute 68 and it will be noted that the upper portion 69 of the chute isnarrower than the lower portion, so that there will. be no tendency for materialto clog in the chute. As shown in Figure 5, the

chute 68 is formed of a plurality of vertically extending parallel bars 70. This serves to minimize the effect of current or wave action upon the chute. a

The lower end of the fixed portion'of the chute is supported in the frame 71, which is carried by the frame work 67 The adjustable lower end frame 72 of the chute is carried by the verticallyv extending support 7 members 7 3 which terminatein the connecter block 7 41. g This block is supported by the screw 7 5 from the frame work 67. The frame 72 may be adjustedvertically by the screws 75, one of which ison each side of the hopper.

. The frame 72 carries the plate 76 extending from its rear lower edge and this plate determines the elevation and contour of the top of the deposited material. The indicating plate 7 7 swings to the rear of the. frame 7 2 and is connected to the indicator rod 78, which extendsfup beside the hopper and carries a pointer 7 9 cooperating with a scale 80 to indicate the height of the material. The form of hopper shown in Figure 2 is similar in all respects to that just described. The hopper shown in Figure 1 and that shown in Figure?) are similar in detail, but differ in 7 that the discharge chute of the hopper is 10- members of the fornrshown in Figures cated at the forward face of the hopper rather thanat an intermediate portionr Instead of. the level straight edge-plate 7 6, i 7 to 10 may be used orgthose of any desired form.

The member 82 of Figure7 provides a convex top while the member 83 of Figure 8 will form a concave surface. The member 84. of Figure 9 forms a shouldered level surface.

The member 85 of Figure 10 is provided with downwardly extending spikes 86 which tend to work and consolidate the upper portion of the material as well as leveling it.

The form of construction shown in Figure 6 differs from that of Figure 3 in that it is provided with broad wheels 87 instead of the l ea s a d i adapte to. em v d y x n p rthroughicables .8 an rather than by its 'owngpower, This struc-. ture is separable along the plane 90, above the water level.

In the use of the form of apparatus shown inFigure 1, the barge is moored So as to ex: tend across the line of breakwater to be con structed with the lower end of the chute extending the width of the top of thepile or foundation. desired. The frame 72 the lower end of thechute, shown in detail in Figures 4 and 5, is adjusted vertically so that the edge of the plate 76 is at the proper level.

Material is now dumped into the hopper from. the conveyor and passes down through the chute. When the material ceases to flow down the chute and remains in the hopper, the barge is drawn forwardly, the plate 7 6 defining the top edge of the pileand the plate 77, by its connection with the pointer 79, indicates the level in the rear of the plate. as the barge and hopper move forward. The forward movementof the barge may be substantially continuous, the flow of material being so related to the movement that the hopper is maintained partly full.

It will be seen that the movement of'the barge is independent of that of the steamer or source of inaterialsupply it merely being necessary that they berelatively positioned sothat the discharge point be above some part of the hopper. a I I such, as to permit considerable relative :dis-

placement of the two units without interruption of the operation. a

supporting barge, the hopper being moved,

on the tracks carried by the barges. The barges may be moved with the vessel, or all The size of the hoppermaybe-made P three units may be moved independentlyif desired. I In the form of construction shown 111 Figure 3, suflicient' of thebreakwater will be v constructed to serve as an original support for the apparatus, this construction being ear riedout in any usual manner. The apparatus will then be putin place on this part of the structure and the operation will be carried out'in the same manner as hasibeen described above. Here .the apparatu flsts firmly on :a fixed support and is moved for:

ward under its own power as the work progresses. The vessel or other source of material is moved forward, this movement being either continuous or in such increments as to keep the end of the discharge boom over some part of the hopper. The construction of Figure (3 is operated in a similar manner, the motive power being externally supplied.

The apparatus has been described as having a discharge chute of the width of the top of the desired placed material, but it will be obvious that in wide structures the work may be carried out by placing a series of parallel strips of material. I

While I have shown certain preferred embodiments of my invention these are to be understood to be illustrative only, and I contemplate such changes and modifications to meet various conditions, as may come within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. I claim: 1. Apparatus for forming underwater structures of loose materials comprising a material receiving hopper, a chute for discharging material from the hopper, means for shaping-the material discharged, means extending above the water level for indicating the level of the shaped material, and means for moving the hopper and chute along the line of the structure.

2. Apparatus for forming structures of loose materials comprising a movable source of material supply, a hopper adapted to re-' ceive material from the source of supply, and means for discharging material from the hopper to form the structure, the source of material supply and the hopper being independently movable along the line of the work.

3. Apparatus for forming structures of loose materials comprising a movable source of material supply, a hopper adapted to re- 7 ently supported and movable along the line,

ceive material from the source of supply, and means for discharging material from the hopper to form the structure, the source of material supply and the hopper being independof the work. 7

4. Apparatus for forming structures of loose material compris ng a hopper, means for supporting the hopper from the portion of the structure already formed, and means guiding material from the hopper to extend the structure.

5. Apparatus for forming structures of loose material comprising a hopper, means for supporting the hopper from the portion of the structure already formed, means guiding material from the hopper toextend the structure, and means to move the hopper and material guide along the structure as the structure is extended.

6. Apparatus for forming structures of loose material under water comprising a float- 7 ing source of supply, a distributing hopper,

means for supporting the hopper upon the 7 the water surface, a discharge chute extending from the hopper to the level of the underwater structure, and means carried by the chute for shaping the material as it is deposited by the chute.

8. Apparatus for forming structures of loose material under Water comprising a floating source of supply, a distributing hopper, means for supporting the hopper above the water surface, a discharge chute extending from the hopper to the levelof the underwater structure, means carried by the chute for shaping the material as it is deposited .by the chute, and means engaging the deposited material connected to an indicator above water to show the height of the deposited material. v

9. Apparatus for forming structures of loose material under water comprising a floating source of supply, a distributing hopper, means for supporting the hopper above the water surface, and a discharge chute extending from the hopper to the level of the underwater structure, the chute being formed of spaced members to permit water flow therethrough. s

10. The method of forming structures of loose m'aterials which comprises feeding material from a'm'ovable ,sourceof supply to 5 i fioating'source of supply, a distributing hopper, means for supporting the hopper upon the completed portion of the underwater structure, and means for moving the hopper independently of the movement of the source i of supply, the hopper being moved along upon the completed portionvof the structure.

Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this 14th day of February, 1925. i

SEWARD M. SAVAGE. 

